


consort of the queen

by Oparu



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-26 16:47:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13239909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oparu/pseuds/Oparu
Summary: alternate universe where Leopold accidentally died on horseback and Regina became Snow White's kind and compassionate Regent.Reaching her thirtieth birthday unmarried, Regina asks her oldest friend to be her royal consort. (cute little AU)





	consort of the queen

**Author's Note:**

> for the prompt: “remember when we were in high school and we swore that if we were still single at 30 we’d marry each other, well hey guess whose birthday it is”

Even asking was a foolish idea, however, reaching thirty unwed was already nearly unheard of in the Enchanted Forest and the kingdom would certainly be more calm if there was a royal consort. At the very least, she could stop trying to fend off the steady stream of entitled suitors who only got more demanding as she was perceived to be more desperate. 

It was not Regina’s fault that the horse the king had been riding had spooked and thrown him. (she’d long suspected it was mother’s but had never really wanted to ask). On his death bed he’d asked her to look after Snow, who needed a regent wise and brave. It was an odd choice, there were many far more experienced, more powerful and more cunning than her, again, perhaps her mother’s hand had been involved.

Yet many years later, Regina was queen regent for a teenaged Snow White (who often did not take to the seriousness of learning to rule as much as Regina would have hoped). Perhaps she needed a steadier hand, a more intimidating mother figure. 

Maleficent arrived the morning of Regina’s thirtieth birthday, a velvet bag full of gifts in hand. They’d be jewels, sparkling and vibrant and even Snow, who had the royal treasury, would be jealous. (more playfully so, lately, she’d been insistent that there was more than friendship between Regina and the dragon lady but Regina had tried to quietly change the subject).

It didn’t help that she needed Maleficent to be the one person she could trust not to be a pawn of Cora’s to put Regina’s best interests at heart, who wouldn’t want the throne or see Regina as a way to get more power. Maleficent, her dearest friend, wanted to be left alone, to do magic and crawl into bed with Regina and to be utterly unimportant alone in her castle. 

The pomp and circumstance of a royal wedding would drive her insane, and she’d be in constant contact with people, especially Cora, who she’d never liked.

But Regina needed her. She needed a consort, needed a supporter, needed someone she could trust, in the middle of all of the maneuvering and deceit. 

“Sit down, please.” 

Maleficent smiled, her eyes wide and curious, but she did as she was asked, enthroning herself on the corner of Regina’s bed. “What is it, dear?” 

Regina took a breath, wrapping her fingers together in front of her stomach, jewels forgotten. “Remember when I was young, and you promised me if I ever needed you, truly needed you, you’d come for me?”

That made Maleficent smile and maybe this wouldn’t go that badly after all. “Do you need to be rescued from your castle?”

“I need you to marry me.”

Staring before she laughed, Maleficent rested her hand on her chest. “Me, truly?”

“Hear me out.”

“Of course.” 

“I need to marry or I’ll be forced to fend off suitors that will become more insistent and less agreeable the longer I delay. I can’t marry just anyone, because I have to trust them to to try and take the throne from Snow, or to be working for my mother.”

“The latter is quite important.”

“I think the latter must be you,” Regina turned, pacing while she tried to put her thoughts together. “I don’t know who else I can trust. Snow will need to start meeting her own suitors soon, and I’ll have to vet them and make sure she marries someone trustworthy and kind, wise and strong. How can I do that if I’ve never been wed? How will she trust me to know what marriage is if I cannot say what it is like?”

“Regina-”

“I know it’s quite forward of me to call upon you in this manner for a promise you made to me long ago, but I need you.”

“Regina-”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have--” 

Rising to her feet, Maleficent touched her chin, lifting her eyes before she kissed her, long and sweet. “Of course I will marry you, it would be my honor.” 

“What?”

“A castle full of people and years at court are worth spending time with you, and if it keeps your kingdom and little princess safe, all the better.” Maleficent kissed her again then smiled. “I do think you should ask me properly.”

“Oh, of course, how foolish of me.” Pulling up her skirts, she fell to one knee. “Maleficent, lady for the Forbidden Forest and dragon of the north, will you do me the honor of joining our lands in marriage, uniting our people beneath one banner and becoming my lady wife?”

Sinking down next to Regina, Maleficent nodded, all smiles as she kissed her fingers. “Only because you’ve asked so nicely. 


End file.
